Body supporting garment



Nov. 14, 1939. R. M. KAPINAS BODY SUPPORTING GARMENT Filed March 22, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 14, 1939. R. M. KAPINAS BODY SUPPORTING GARMENT Filed March 22, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [ml/em Eu TH M KA P/NAS Patented Nov. id, 1939 UNITED STATES BODY SUPPORTING GARMENT Ruth M. Kapinas, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Munsingwear, Inc.,- Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware Application March 22, 193%,- Serial No. 132,365

Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in body supporting garments and more particularly to types designed to support the bust portion of the figure.

Garments of the character herein disclosed, as now commonly constructed, are provided with definitely defined pre-shaped pockets for receiving and supporting the busts. These preshaped pockets are formedby the provision of seams and/or darts, or by cutting and inserting pieces of fabric in that portion of the garment which supports the lower portions of the busts. Other constructions may also be used to form the bust supporting portions of the garment, but to the best of my knowledge, in every instance, the garment is formed with definitely defined preshaped pockets adapted to receive and snugly fit the lower portions of the busts, to provide supports therefor. Such under bust construction is undesirable in garments of this character, in that it not only adds bulk to the garment, but produces a definite break in the line of the figure at this point and tends to support the busts in a manner which gives the busts an artificial and unnatural appearance.

An essential object of the present invention is to provide a garment of the character described having individual bust supporting areas which are not premolded in pocket form, but which are so constituted as to be moldable by the busts themselves into suitable pockets of a size and shape adjusted to the proportions of the busts and the position and naturally rounded contour of the underline of the busts. As will hereafter become apparent, the bust sections are so arranged not only to fit themselves to the busts, but to apply individually to the respective busts a hammock-like uplift or upward pull serving to overcome any tendency of the busts towards pendulosity. These benefits are obtained substantially without compression or flattening of the busts. Also, the fabric areas for each bust act independently of each other in the sense that the shaping and uplifting support in one area is not dependent upon the conditions :xisting in the other area.

A further object is to provide a garment of the class described, which is so constructed that a tension or upward and outward pull is created in the fabric of the garment by the fullness and weight of the busts thereon, and which tension or upward and outward pull on the fabric is increased or decreased in direct proportion to the size of the busts, and automatically accommodating its uplift characteristics or qualities to the instant case in direct proportion to the size and weight of the busts of the figure.

In carrying out these general objects, it is a further object of the invention to providea bustsupporting garment wherein the lower bust por- 5 tions thereof comprise individual fabric portions of generally fiat uncupped form when off the figure and which are independently moldable by the individual busts out of their fiat form into supporting cups for the under surfaces, of the busts. Such lower bust portions are devoid of fashioning seams tending to premold. the same into concaveform and/or create a fixed artificial 'under-bust line along their bases. Cooperating with the lower bust portions are upper bust portions for covering the upper surfaces of the busts, andgthe said upper and lower portions of each bust area may be so shaped in relation to each other that while the lower portions have a natural fiat form, the upper bust portions may be premolded to concave shape generally approximating the contour of the upper surface of the bust.

A further object is to provide a bust supporting garment which is so constructed that it will elevate, support and mold or shape the busts without unnatural compression or distortion, the pockets of the garment which receive and support the busts being formed only after the garment is fitted onto a figure, that is, the outward" pressure of the busts on portions of the garment cooperating with the unique construction of the garment to provide the bust supporting pockets, and whereby the uplift support imparted to the busts starts from the natural under bust line and extends upwardly therefrom to approximately the mid-bust line, at which point the lower bust supporting portions of the fabric of the garment are stitched, or otherwise secured to the upper portion of the garment in such a manner that when the garment is fitted onto a figure, an upward and outward tension or pull is exerted in the fabric constituting the lower portions of the bust supporting pockets, whichupward and outward tension in the fabric originates above the natural under-bust line and is communicated to the upper fabric of the garment, whereby a hammock-like, uplift support is imparted to the busts, which gives them a youthful, natural, and normal shape.

A further object is to provide a bust supporting garment of simple and inexpensive construction, and which is so designed that substantially all of the support is applied directly to the lower portions of the busts, whereby the foremost portions of the busts are elevated and permitted to assume their normal, natural positions without compression, thereby relieving muscular tension and rendering the garment extremely comfortable to the wearer.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings and will be pointed'out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the invention embodied in a bust supporting garment or brassiere;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the hammock-like, uplift support provided for the lower portions of the busts;

Figure 3 is a view showing substantially the normal shape of the bust supporting portion of the garment, when of! the figure;

Figure 4 is a view showing substantially the outline of the lower front section of the garment, before it is embodied in the construction thereof; and

Figures 5 and 6 are views showing the invention embodied in the construction of a full length garment.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the unique construction of the garment, which comprises upper and lower sections 2 and 3 respectively. The lower section 3 is formed with upwardly extending portions 4 adapted to fit against the lower portions of the busts. The upper section 2 of the garment is, in the present instance, made of a suitable nonelastic fabric, and has its lower edge suitably shaped and secured to the upper edge of the lower section 3 by suitable stitching 6, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The lower section 3 constitutes the front portion of the garment and connects with a back portion 8. Together such parts form a body engaging portion which encircles the body below the extensions 4.

As will be seen in Fig. 3 the lower bust portions 4 are fiat-formed extensions of the main body portion 3 and meet the latter along a common straight base line. The extensions are of such length vertically that when applied to the figure and molded. outwardly into concave form by the busts they will extend downwardly to the underbust line, the lowermost position of which is approximately represented in Fig. 2 by the broken line b-b. When so molded into pockets the bases of the lower bust portions will mold themselves to the contour of the base portions of the busts as represented in Fig. 1.

The lower bust portions extend upwardly to the apex area of the busts, but the exact position of the upper edges 5 thereof is open to some latitude and may be either above or below the line of maximum bust fullness as represented by the broken lines H in Figs. 1, 2 and 6.

As will be understood from Fig. 4, taken in connection with Figs. 1 and 3, the lower bust portions 4 are laterally separated by a vertical cleft throughout their entire height, said cleft extending downwardly approximately to the bottom of the bust pocket position at the bases of the busts, represented by the broken line -0, when the garment is on the figure.

The upper bust engaging-portions 2 are preferably shaped in the manner indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 so as to have a more or less premolded shape. In the embodiment shown this is secured by reason of the relative shaping of the adjoining edges of portions 2 and 4 which are secured together by seams 6. The two upper bust portions 2 extend downwardly around the inner and outer side edges of the respective lower busts and are interconnected by a central fabric area between the lower bust portions. As will be seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the central area is provided by inward extensions of the bust engaging areas of the upper sections 2 which meet medially of the front of the garment and are secured together by the central seam l2.

It is to be understood that the shape of the upper and lower sections may be somewhat altered or changed, and the portions 4 may be also, if desired, made of two or more pieces of fabric, either elastic or non-elastic, or a combination of both, without sacrificing the broad principle of construction involved in this invention, namely, that the portions 4 shall not, regardless of the form of the upper bust sections 2, be pre-shaped to cup form, but shall be flat and adapted to be shaped into supporting pockets for the under surfaces of the busts by the busts themselves in dependency on the position of the natural underbust line when the garment is placed on the figure. The particular outline of the lower bust portions 4 as represented in Fig. 4 includes wide bases, and opposing inner and outer side edges which extend upwardly and terminate in broad rounded upper ends, but the shape of these portions may be varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

When the garment is fltted on the body, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the individual lower bust portions 4 are thrown outwardly and downwardly by the busts. The shape and weight of the busts will cause each portion 4 to be molded out of its flat form into a pocket or cup. Since the two portions are separate they are molded one independently of the other to conform to the respective busts. Tension in a circumferential direction will be set up in the fabric of each of the two portions in the area of the underbust line as represented by line 21-?) in Fig. 2, whereby the portions 4 will not only be molded around the curved bases of the busts but will uplift and support the busts. Because portions 4 are separate and can independently mold themselves to the respective busts the tension produced in one portion is independent of that produced in the other portion, and the uplift effect produced by each portion will be without any substantial circumferential compression of the busts. This permits the foremost portions l of the bust supporting pockets to adapt themselves to the contour of the foremost portions of the busts, when the latter are thus uplifted by the hammocklike support applied against the lower portions of the busts, by the supporting pockets effected in this construction. It will thus be seen that when the garment is fitted onto a figure, substantially all of the support is applied to the lower portions of the busts, as indicated by the arrows II in Figure 2, whereby a normal, youthful appearance is imparted to the busts without exerting undue pressure thereagainst, and without compressing the upper portions thereof.

Thus, by the use of this novel bust supportinggarment,thebustsareupliftedin'sucha manner that they are elevated and extended 7 somewhat forwardly and assume a natural, comfortable position, without muscular strain, and whereby the lower portions of the busts are shaped to provide a graceful, upwardly and outwardly sweeping curve, extending upwardly from the waist line to the point of maximum bust fullness, as clearly illustrated at the right hand side of Figures 1 and 2. 4

In Figures and 6 the invention is shown embodied in the construction of a garment of the full length type, which, in addition to supporting the busts, also supports the lower portion of the torso.

In the novel garment herein disclosed, the actual support of the busts is not carried by the shoulder straps. The shoulder straps merely support the garment in position on the body and are, of course, more or less necessary in order to prevent the front section from tending to slide downwardly on the figure. A non-elastic tape I2 is preferably provided in the top section 2 between the busts to reinforce'the seaming of the top section at this point.

As hereinbefore stated, the novel garment herein disclosed, is devoid of all underbust seaming, darts, and otherwise cutting of the material, to shape the lower portions of the bust supporting pockets. Because the lower bust portions 4 are not premolded to pocket form but constitute fiat continuations of the fabric which engages the body below the underbust line b-b, and .because also such portions are separated from each other, the fabric of the two portions wili.mold itself around the bases of the busts without creating an artificial bust line, and will be molded outwardly and tensioned by the pressure of the busts thereon until formed into individual cupped supports for the undersurfaces of the respective busts which gently uplift and shape the busts. A smooth, unbroken line is given the garment from the waist line to the point of maximum bust fullness as indicated in the right hand side of Figs, 1, 2 and 6.

To produce a pull or tension in the piece of fabric in an upward and outward direction, two factors are employed. Initially, the lower section 3 is cut from a fiat piece of fabric which is not cupped, or otherwise formed to provide definitely defined, pre-shaped bust supporting pockets, and secondly, the upper edges of the lower section 3 and the lower edge of the upper section 3 are curved, or cut on irregular lines, which may or may not be parallel to each other, and which may be concave or convex in varying degrees along their length, and, at different points. The

edges of the sections 2 and 3 may vary somewhat from each other but will remain the same in a given garment, throughout its various sizes.

Because of the novel design of the front section 2 of the garment, when the latter isplaced on a figure, and the fiat upwardly extending portions 4 engage the protruding busts thereof, said portions are thrust outwardly and forwardly and placed under tension, which tension is unequal at difi'erent points, because of the irregular shape of the busts. The tension thus imparted is more marked under and around the busts. It will thus be noted that definitely pre-shaped bust supporting pockets are not formed in the garment in the manufacture thereof. The front under bust supporting portions of the garment are so constructed that when the garment is fitted onto a figure, the portions 4 of the garment will autotension created inthe fabric will impart an upward pull or hammock-like lift to the busts, as

' indicated by the arrows II in Figure 2, taking 5 into consideration the tension already produced around the busts by their protrusion into the flat portions 4 of the lower sections 3 of the garment, as above described. Thus, the effect obtained by seaming or connecting together the irregularly shaped contiguous edges of the sections 2 and 3, as above described, and the effect produced by the busts upon the flat upwardly curved portions 4 of the lower'section 3 of the garment, cooperate to create a tensionor pull in a. hammock-like or swing-like manner, resulting in a holding, uplifting, and shaping of the busts, all from points distinctly above the under bust line.

The lower section 3 of the garment is preferably made of two-way stretch elastic fabric, and the upper section 2 of non-elastic fabric. It is to be understood, however, that non-elastic or partially elastic fabric may be employed inasmuch as the elasticity or non-elasticity of the fabric medium used is in no wise the basic factor of the principleunderlying the uplifting and shaping qualities of the novel construction herein set forth. I

The construction of the garment is comparatively simple, in that the front section 3 is made in this instance from a single piece of fiat fabric suitably designed and cut so as to provide the desired uplift support to the busts, when embodied in the construction of the garment. It must, however, be understood that the front'sections 3 may be composed of or constructed from more than one piece of fabric, which pieces may be of different and varied shapes and kinds, dependent in no way upon the principle herein embodied, but merely to suit the fancy or please the eye.

I claim as my invention:

1. A bust-supporting garment including a fabricbody section adapted to encircle the body below the busts, and a bust pocket section, said bust pocket section comprising a pair of flatformed fabric lower bust portions connected to' and projecting upwardly from the front of the body section and being devoid of fashioning seams along their line of connection with the body section, said lower bust portions terminating in upper ends at the apex area of the busts, said lower bust portions being laterally separated by a vertical cleft extending downwardly approximately to the bottom of the bust pocket position so as to be independently moldable out of their flat form to support the undersurfaces of the individual busts, and fabric upper bust portions of concave form secured along their under edges around the top and side edges of the respective lower bust portions and being interconsection and being formed in one fabric piece with 7 the body section, said lower bust portions being devoid of fashioning seams along their meeting line with the body section and having opposite side edges terminating in broad rounded upper ends at the apex area of the busts, and being 7 laterally separated from each other by a vertical cleft extending downwardly approximately to the bottom of the bust pocket position so as to be independently moldable out of their fiat form to support the under-surfaces of the individual busts, and fabric upper bust portions of concave form secured along their under edges around the top and side edges of the respective lower bust portions and being interconnected in the area between the lower bust portion.

3. A bust supporting garment including an elastic fabric body section adapted to encircle the body below the busts, and a bust pocket section, said bust pocket section comprising a pair of flat formed elastic fabric lower bust portions connected to and projecting upwardlyfrom the front of the body section and being devoid of fashioning seams along their line of connection with the body section, said lower bust portions terminating in upper ends at the apex area of the busts, said lower bust portions'being laterally separated by a vertical cleft extending downwardly approximately to the bottom of the bust pocket position so as to be independently moldable out of their flat form to support the undersurfaces of the individual busts, and fabric upper bust portions of concave form secured along their under edges around the top and side edges of the respective lower bust portions and being interconnected in the area between the lower bust portions.

4. A bust supporting garment as in claim 3 wherein the lower bust portions are composed of two-way stretch elastic fabric.

5. A bust supporting garment as in claim 1 wherein the lower bust portions are composed of elastic fabric, and the upper bust portions are composed of inelastic fabric.

RUTH M. KAPINAB. 

